Choices
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: Bella POV. Edward had been gone for months. He said it would be as if he never existed. He was very wrong. For months I missed him and felt the hole in my body and soul, but now with Jacob around I didn't feel so bad anymore. Jacob is an entirely different person than I realized.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This takes place towards the end of New Moon.**

I was in the car with him. HIM. Edward Cullen. When he first left I wanted this so badly, but now I was with Jacob. I couldn't look up at Alice drove us out of Volterra. His eyes were on me, I could tell. He laid his hand on top of mine. It was colder than I'd ever remembered before. I folded my hands in my lap. I closed my eyes and rested against the seat.

"Alice-" Edward said.

"Hmmm?"

"What'd you say to Bella?"

"I didn't say anything. We had to get back to you."

"So she doesn't know we're coming back to Forks?"

"No." I held my breath. Edward would be back at Forks High school? How long would Carlisle and Esme stay in Forks before they leave again? Edward will be upset when he finds out I've found solace in Jacob instead of him. But he's been gone. When we got back to the house, Charlie and Jacob were there. I was so tired that I let Edward carry me out of the car and over to Charlie and Jacob.

"Bella." Charlie scowled. I wasn't sure what I'd tell him. Edward was a vampire and I went to make sure that he wasn't killed by the royal court of the vampire world? He'd think I was crazy and check me into a mental hospital in Seattle. I sighed and watched him walk away from us.

"I'll take her." Edward growled at Jacob's suggestion. I tried to stand. "Bella, stop."

"Bella." Edward said softly. I looked up at him.

"I'll be fine Edward. I want to go with Jacob."

"I don't think that's-" I glared at him.

"What?" I interrupted before he had a chance to say what I knew he was going to. I looked into his eyes. My stare was cold, and my hands were clenched at my side. "You left Edward!" I exclaimed. My voice echoed through the forest. I sighed and lowered my voice. "I had nowhere to go. You left me alone in this world."

"I went to protect you." Edward stated. His eyes were full of confusion as he stared at my face. He put his hand on my cheek. I pushed it off and turned away.

"Get out Edward." I said firmly and with more emotion than I had ever had before. He grabbed my arm. Jacob got closer.

"I suggest you do as Bella asked and leave." Edward growled again.

"I thought things hadn't changed." Edward said. My cold glare melted. I turned and looked at Edward. There were tears in my eyes, but they weren't there for him.

"I went to stop you from having yourself destroyed by the Volturi because I was upset for Carlisle and Esme. What you would do to your parents. What about Alice and Jasper? Rosalie and Emmett? I went to help your mother, I didn't go because I loved you the way I used to."

"Bella."

"I mean it Edward. Please leave." I walked over and hugged Jacob. He was warm, even though it was drizzling outside.

"Let's go inside." Jacob walked me to the door. I heard Edward stomp off and I heard the car zip away from the house.

"Bye Alice." I thought. I knew I'd just lost one good friend. I don't understand why it's all or none with the vampire-werewolf situation. Right now, I wanted to go to bed and forget about everything that happened. When we went inside the house, my dad was sitting on the couch. He stood up and walked over to them.

"Isabella Swan, you were gone three days-" Charlie started. I sighed.

"Dad, I know. I had to help Edward in Seattle." Charlie scoffed.

"Well, you won't be seeing him for quite a while."

"You're right. I'm not. I told him to get out of my life." Charlie couldn't keep his eyes from lighting up. I wondered if he truly thought I didn't notice.

"Really?" I nodded.

"Jake and I are getting closer and I think we both want that." Charlie nodded.

"Alright. You will go to school, La Push and that's it." I nodded.

"Okay." Charlie smiled. "Way to go Jake." I rubbed my head.

"I'm going up to bed. Good night."

"Night Bella."

"Do you need help Bells?" I looked at Jacob and rolled my eyes.

"I've gotten myself into bed for years before I met you Jacob." I walked up the stairs.

"Charlie, you've got yourself a great daughter there. I really like her."

"Good." I ignored them as I walked up the stairs. When I opened my door, I saw Edward on the bed.

"Oh-" I closed the door. "Edward!" I exclaimed. As I blinked he was right there beside me.

"Quiet Bella." He laughed. "I had to talk to you away from the dog." I sighed.

"Why can't you understand that I'm tired of who's a werewolf and who's a vampire?" I sighed. "Jacob sat back when I spent time with you. I love him now. You'll have to live with that." Edward growled.

"Bella, I believe I'm still here for you." I sighed and then looked up at him.

"I'm tired of waiting for you." I replied and he sighed.

"It's dangerous Bella! They could hurt you." I whirled around.

"And you could kill me. You told me that many times. How you thirsted for my blood? I asked you many times to change me, but you didn't and I've decided when Jacob wanted to be here, but you didn't I changed my mind. I've seen a side of you I never knew and glad I saw before I let Carlisle change me."

"Bella." I turned and put my hands firmly in the window sill.

"Goodbye Edward." He came behind me. Edward hugged me and kissed my hair before he went out the window leaving me staring into the night sky. I walked over and got into bed.


	2. Chapter 2

I didn't see Edward in school the next day. Alice and Jasper were back at their usual table. Emmett and Rosalie were "graduating" and so we didn't see them around as much anymore because the senior class had a lot of preparations to do as we headed towards the end of the year. I wasn't sure why Edward wouldn't be in school. Could he have been hurt by what I said yesterday? I really wasn't sure what to do when Edward came back into my life expecting things to be the same. I sat at the table listening to Angela and Jessica ramble on about something I wasn't even sure about. Alice glanced over at me as I looked in her direction. There was concern in her eyes as she walked over to me.

"Bella?" She asked. I looked down at my sandwich, picking it apart because I couldn't eat, but I didn't want to look at her either. I could feel her eyes boring into the side of my face. She wasn't the type of person to give up easily. She could stand there until I decided to talk. I sighed and looked over at her.

"Alice?" She sat down next to me.

"Edward told me what happened. Are you alright? What's going on? I thought you and Edward wanted to be together?" She asked. She laid her hand on my back. "Bella?" I sighed again and looked up at her.

"Maybe it just wasn't meant for us to be together Alice." I said coldly and I picked up my lunch tray and walked away angrily. I didn't want to talk to Alice about this; and especially not in the cafeteria with everybody around so they could hear us.

"You gave up everything for that _dog_ didn't you?" Alice asked with disgust. I glared at her.

"Alice, I don't want to discuss this! Not here, not ever." I threw my trash away and walked out of the cafeteria doors and headed towards the gym. When I walked into the locker room, Alice was already there next to my locker.

"You know I'm faster than you, plus I can see where you're going." I sighed loudly. That was the problem with vampires. They are usually always one step ahead of you. Alice looked at me.

"Bella? I thought we were friends; I considered you my sister. What's going on?" I couldn't turn to face Alice, even though she kept pleading. Finally, I just couldn't take it anymore and I turned around. I used more anger than I had intended.

"Edward left; you all left me to rot here alone! Finally, after a while I was getting better because I had Jacob there. He was helping me come out of the deep depression I was in. That Edward had put me in. I was becoming Bella again; at least a new version of myself. Well, then, you come back and tell me that Edward thinks I killed myself so he's trying to kill himself. I let myself believe the lie of-" I started to say, but stopped myself; maybe I was talking to Jacob too much. I had said that I wanted to stop everything with the vampire/wolf issues.

"Say it Bella." Alice said coldly. She knew exactly what I was going to say. I didn't want to say it, but I knew if I didn't, I'd end up saying it anyway.

"Blood suckers." I replied with a sigh. Alice put her hand over her mouth and gave a fake gasp.

"You have been spending way too much time with these animals and I don't think we should associate anymore." Alice said. She looked deep into my eyes with tears in hers. "You know, I used to think we could be close. Rosalie and I aren't that close." She laughed. "You know Rose, who could get close to her?" She paused. "Anyhow, I thought I'd have you; but now you've hurt Edward and me, as well as the rest of our family. Well, I hope you enjoy being part of the wolf clan because we don't need you _Isabella Swan._" She said my name like you would talk about a bug or a snake that you didn't want around or were afraid of.

"Alice," I turned and put my hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't have to be this way."

"Yes it does. You can't choose both. Werewolves and vampires are enemies. When will you understand that?" Alice paused. "Maybe this is why I couldn't see your future anymore. I thought it was because when you jumped the wolf saved you. Come to find out; it's because you've chosen to live with them." She turned and walked off briskly.

"Alice!" I exclaimed after her. I sighed. I had lost not one, but two of the closest people to me. Alice was a good friend and somebody I knew I could talk to. I'm not so sure about that anymore.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I was at home sitting at the kitchen table later that afternoon when I heard a knock on the door. When I opened the door, I saw Edward and Rosalie standing there.

"Rosalie?" I asked. "Edward?" I stared into his deep golden eyes and couldn't believe he was standing there. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to bring Rosalie. She wanted to talk to you." He said without ever taking his eyes off of her. Rosalie stepped forward.

"I hope it's okay Bella." She said. I nodded.

"I'll be back for you later Rosalie." Edward said and walked out the door. Rosalie and I walked over to the table and sat down.

"I wanted to talk to you about your decision to stay human." She stated. I sighed.

"You like the idea?" I asked assuming. She nodded.

"I do. I think that you will be happier staying human than becoming an immortal." Rosalie said. Then she paused. "But I also wanted to talk to you about Edward. You wouldn't believe the way he's been walking around the house. You'd think he'd lost a puppy or something." She laughed. "But you were there for a while and now you're gone."

"Is that all you wanted? To come tell me how miserable I'm making Edward?" I asked. Rosalie sighed.

"No, I wanted to tell you that I'm glad you've reconsidered the idea of becoming like us because there is so much that you will have now that you wouldn't have otherwise."

"Do you still envy me?" I asked. She nodded.

"Very much so." Rosalie replied. "You have the chance to grow old and have somebody the rest of your life and have children and grandchildren."

"You could too." I responded quickly. Rosalie laughed.

"You poor human; you really believe that don't you?" She sighed. "Vampires don't get old, we see time pass us as well as the age on the people we know and love but then they are gone and we are still here. Decade after decade, century after century; it will never end for us." I stared at her, not sure what to say.

"Well, I'm glad you could stop by and let me know that you approve of my choice." I said. Rosalie nodded.

"I hoped you would eventually get some sense in that head of yours. I love my brother and while you were good together while it lasted. You shouldn't have to give up your future for somebody without one."

"Rosalie." I said surprised; not only for what she said, but the way I reacted to it. "Edward has a future."

"But not the one you and Jacob could have. You can get married, have children and grow old with Jacob. Even if he's a dog, he is still human and he can give you more than anybody. Don't you want your parents to have grandchildren to see?" Rosalie paused. "If you became one of us, you'd never be able to see your parents or any of your friends again. A human is somebody you can take home to see your parents and spend holidays with." She paused and smiled. "If I had that chance." She looked at me. "You know my story, Bella. I did almost have that chance." I nodded. Rosalie and I had discussed what happened to cause her to become a vampire once before. I heard Edward's car outside. We both looked over at the door.

"I guess you'd better be going. We shouldn't keep Edward waiting." I said. She looked at me.

"Good bye Bella." She smiled. "I was just getting used to having you around." I nodded.

"I still can be. There doesn't have to be a line between you all."

"There is the treaty. We can't break it. The vampires and the wolves are enemies; always will be. That's something you can't fix Bella." The horn honked outside. Rosalie scowled and then walked outside. I watched her get into the car before it sped down the road away from the house. Just as soon as it drove off, I heard a swoosh behind me. I walked into the house and saw Jacob sitting on the couch.

"Jacob!" I exclaimed. He laughed.

"I had to make sure you were okay. I smelled the blood suckers and I wanted to make sure you were okay." I sat on the couch next to him and sighed. "Bella, are you alright?"

"I wish you wouldn't say that."

"Bella?" Jacob asked. He put his arm around me and pulled me closer to him. I could feel the warmth of his skin around me.

"I hurt Alice today."

"How'd you hurt Alice?" He asked. I couldn't talk, but I looked up at him. Then after a minute, I finally opened my mouth to speak.

"I called her a blood sucker. I really hurt her and I didn't mean to. I said it out of anger and haste." I exclaimed. Jacob laughed. I slapped him with my hand. "That's not funny Jacob!" He stopped laughing and looked into my eyes.

"Maybe not to you; but they call us dogs, you are just calling them as they are." Jacob paused. "I didn't recognize the scent of the one who was here before I got here. Who was it?"

"It was Edward's sister Rosalie. She said that she was glad I chose to be with you. She's always thought I was being ridiculous by giving up life as a human to become an immortal vampire."

"I thought so too." Jacob replied. I glared at him and he took my hand in his. I laid my head on his chest.

"I thought things were over when Edward left; but it feels like I'm hurting everybody around me."

"Does this mean you are going back to him?" Jacob asked leaning up. "You would do that to me? To us?" I shook my head.

"No, I just feel that I should talk to Edward and explain everything that happened, and apologize to Alice. I had no right to be rude to her like I was. She just kept talking and talking and finally I blew my top. I couldn't control my anger or what I was going to say." I said. I heard Charlie's squad car pull up in front of the house. "Maybe you should go." I said to Jacob. He looked at me.

"It's not that late. I'm sure Charlie won't care. But I can go if you want me to." Jacob said. His voice and his eyes had an edge of concern. I shook my head and put my hand around his waist.

"Don't leave, not yet." I hugged him. I could feel him smile as he rested his chin on the top of my head.

"I wish I could have been there."

"What?" I asked. Jacob squeezed me.

"When you said that to Alice; I wish I could have seen her face." Jacob said. I slapped him again and waited as the door opened and Charlie walked in.

"Hey Charlie." Jacob said.

"Jake?" Charlie asked. "Isn't it a bit late for you to be here? I'm sure Billy is worried sick about you. Maybe you should be going home." Jacob nodded. He stood up.

"I'm sorry Charlie. I didn't mean to be here so late. I wasn't here that long."

"I've heard that before." Charlie mumbled, but then didn't say anything else. Jacob nodded at me.

"Good bye Bella. See you tomorrow."

"Bye Jacob." Jacob walked out the door. Then I got up and walked up the stairs and had a lot of time to think about what I was going to say to Alice and Edward when I saw them tomorrow. If they were at school tomorrow. Right now; I wished Carlisle and Esme would take them out and not have them go. I wasn't sure I wanted to talk to them just yet.


End file.
